Combined coupling and suspension device



my 1936 s. BELVEAL 2,030,779

COMBINED COUPLING AND SUSPENSION DEVICE Filed Feb. 27, 1954 Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT lOFFICE'.

Sherman Belveal, Delphos, Kans.

Application February 27, 1934, Serial No. 713,192

1 Claim.

`My invention `relates to a combined couplingr and suspension device for a suspending and a suspended object, and my invention aims to provide, 'ina manner as Ahereinafter set forth, whereby the pull from the suspended object will operate the device to securely lock thereto the suspending object whereby the said objects will be coupled together.

A further object of Vmy invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a combined coupling and suspension device having a locking element for an adjustable suspending means and a pressure applying structure for suspending an article, said element and structure being slidably l5 connected together and whereby when shifted relative to each other, the said structure will coact with the locking element to provide for the locking of the suspending means in its adjusted p0- sition to the locking element and the coupling of the locked suspending means with the article sus- -pended from the said structure.

A further object of my invention is to provide, in ya "manner as hereinafter referred to, a device of the class referred to including a locking ele- 25 ment and a suspending or combined coupling and pressure applying structure, and with said element and structure coacting to adjustably lock a suspending means to the locking element and for coupling the suspending means with an article suspended from said suspending element.

Further objects of my invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of the class referred to which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly eicient' in its use, readily assembled and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

To the above ends essentially, and to others which may hereinafter appear, my invention consists of such parts, and such combination cf parts, which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

The device is illustrated by way of example in connection with a shoulder suspension strap, that is one of the straps of a pair of Suspenders and an outer garment, such as the waist portion of a pair of trousers. It is to be understood however that a combined coupling and suspension device in accordance with this invention may be employed in any connection for which it is found applicable.

In the drawing:- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a suspender strap and the waist portion of a pair of trousers, showing the adaptation therewith of a combined coupling and suspension device in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front `elevation of the device.

Figure 4 is a perspective viewof the locking eles ment.

The device includes a locking element 2 for the suspender strap 3 `and a pressure applying structure 4 for a pair of trousers (not shown). The element 4 is shown as being connected to a lbut- 10 ton 5 upon the waist portion 6 of the trousers. The element 4 also constitutes a pressure `applying means for a purpose to be referred to.

The element 2 consists of an oblong body portion 'I ofv any suitable material, preferably metal l5 having its lengthwise edges disposed in parallelism. The body portion 'I is formed with a pair of spaced parallel straight slits 8, 9 disposed transversely thereof and a lengthwise straight slit Il). 'I he outer walls or edges of the slits 8, 9 are inter- 20 sected centrally `by the longitudinal median of the body portion 1. The distance between the outer wall or edge of a transverse slit and an end edge Vof body portion I is the same asthe distance between the outer wall or edge of the lengthwise 25 slit and the edge II of the body portion l. The ends of the outer lengthwise wall of the slit I 0 merge into the upper ends of the outer walls of the slits 8, 9. The material freed by the slits 8,

9 and I0 is bent outwardly with respect to the 30 -outer face of body portion 'I and at an upwardly inclination to provide a locking member I2 and a passage I3. The side edges of the member I2 have straight inner parts or portions I 3a and oppositely inwardly inclined outer parts or por- 35 tions I3. The free lengthwise edge of the member I2 is formed with uniform V-shaped cutouts I3, which, in connection with the inclined outer side edge portions |311, provide the free lengthwise edge of member I2 with spaced uniform 40 tapered teeth I4. The front of the body 1, at the lower portion of each end thereof is formed with a vertically disposed cylindrical barrel, and which are designated I5, I6. The barrels are integral with the lower portions of and having their outer 45 sides extended laterally from the end edges of body portion 1. The rear sides of the barrels abut the outer face of body portion 'I. The upper ends of the barrels align with the bend of member I2. The inner sides of the barrels are spaced 50 from the outer walls or edges of the slits l, 8 and the bend of I2. The latter is employed for locking the strap 3 is adjusted position. The strap 3 is to be extended through passage I3 to engage the teeth I4 and then depend downwardly from 55 'I'he combined coupling and suspension element v4 is of skeleton form and it includes a section 20 forming a pressure'applying means for element 2 and a section 2| forming a means for coupling a button thereto. The section 2|] is in the form of a rectangular loop closed at its top and sidesY and open centrally of its bottom. The section 2I is in the form of a loop of less width and greaterY length than section 20, open at its top, closed at its bottom and having acontractedlower end portion.

The section 20 comprises a top wall 22,v a pairV of side walls 23, 24 and an open bottom wall formed of a pair of stretches 25, 26 extending inwardly from the lower end of the walls 23, 24 respectively. The inner ends of the stretches 25, 26 are spaced from each-other and formed with the eyes 21, 28 respectively. The side wa11s23, 26 slidably extend through the barrels I5, I6 respectively whereby sectionrZIl is slidablyconnected to the front oflelement 2. greater than the height of the barrels. The top wall 22 of section 20 may be'shifted beyond the outer or top edgel II of body portion 1. The section 2| comprises a pair'of oppositely disposed side walls 29,V 30 of like form and which at theirlower ends merge into the ends of a bottom wall 3| Vof segmental contour. Each side wall consists of an upper stretch 32,l an intermediate stretch 33 and a lower stretch 34. The

stretch 33 extends inwardly at an inclination from the lower end of stretch -32 and merges into the upper end of stretch 34. The latter extends outwardly at an inclination from the lower end of stretch 33 and merges into one end of the wall 3|. The inclination of stretch 34 is materially The length of the side walls isV less than that of stretch 33. The stretch 33 is of greater length than stretch 34. The stretches 32 are arranged in parallel spaced relation and provided at their upper ends with'eyes 35, 36 which connect with and are disposed at right angles to the eyes 21, 28 respectively. The eyes 21, 28, 29

and 30 coact to pivotally connect section'2I to section 20.

When the device is in use the topwall 22 of section 20 is arranged above passage I3 and after strap 3 is positioned relative to element 2, the top A,wall 22 is seated upon stretch I1. The section 2I of element 4 is attached to button 5 whereby the trousers and suspender strap 3 are coupled together. The weight of the trousers upon element 4 will pull the latter downwardly to abut stretch I1, exerting pressure on the latter to an extentl Uwhereby the member I2 will lock strap 3 to element A2. By shifting section 2D upwardly relative to element 2 to position top wall 22 in spaced relation to stretch I1, the strapr 3'may be released from element 2. y

In a combined coupling, adjusting and-suspension device, a combined pressure applying and coupling means consisting of an upper skeleton member and a lower skeleton member, said upper member being of greater width and of less length than said lower member, said upper member being formed with an opening and the central portion of its bottom with a passageway leading to said opening and depending eyes extending in opposite lateral directions from theV sides of said opening and bordering said passageway, said lower member being open at its upper end and having a contracted lower portion, the upper end of the sides of said lower member being in the form of outwardly directed eyes depending from the upper terminous of said member, disposed at right angles to and coacting with the eyes of the upper member for loosely connecting said members together. Y 1 Y SHERMAN BELVEAL. 

